


Just An Argument, Right?

by letsgooutintherain



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-05-01 14:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5208680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letsgooutintherain/pseuds/letsgooutintherain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the way they communicate. Snapping, jabbing, growling and shouting. A lovestory told in arguments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Arguing ****  
~age 13~  
**

Growling Ed followed Al out of the inner office, kicking the door shut behind him for good measure. The loud bang that followed made the windows rattle in their frames.

"Asshole," Ed muttered under his breath, only to be met with five pairs of amused eyes. Ed glared at them and stomped out, leaving the outer office behind. Stupid bastard with his pointless assignments. How was he supposed to get Al's body back, when he had to do shit like this? As if it wasn't enough, every new assignment was delivered with another short joke. He was not short!

"It's in your contract, you know," Al said and fell into step beside him, "It's equivalent exchange."

"Yeah, I know," Ed sighed, "I'm just not comfortable with someone holding that much power over us." He took the left turn out of eastern headquarter.

"We knew what we were getting ourselves into," Al replied, "And he is not that bad. We owe him."

"Yeah, doesn't mean I have to like it, or him for that matter."

Al stayed silent for a while, as they made their way through the crowded streets to the train station, his still armor face giving nothing away of his thoughts.

"I like him," Al finally said when they boarded the train, "I like all of them. They are good people."

"I guess they are," Ed muttered and let himself fall into a seat, "But I only need to look at that smug bastard, being all superior, sitting smirking behind his desk. And I am not short! He is just being an ass."

Al laughed softly, "You give nearly as good as you get, brother. Besides, I think that's not why he keeps riling you up. Haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed what?" Ed asked.

"Not everyone is as open with his expressions as you are, brother," Al said quietly, "Look at him. Really look."

***

And because between the two of them it had always been Al who understood people, Edward did just that. The next time they came back from an assignment he kept an eye on Mustang. All he could see was the same smug bastard he always saw, reading his report with an arched eyebrow and a mocking tilt to his mouth.

"It wouldn't have been that big of a problem to hide instead, Fullmetal," he said.

"I'm not so small that everyone just overlooks me!" Ed growled.

Mustang smirked, "Oh I'm sure you could have hidden behind a grain of sand."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT, HE COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR DUST?" he shouted, "At least I'm not an idiot bastard who has never seen sand in his life." 

And just like that he could suddenly see what Al had seen. It was still Mustang. Still a smug bastard, but some of the tension that very subtly surrounded him, just seemed to dissipate.

***

Later, when they heeded to the dorms Ed started: "What do you think that was?"

"He is a colonel," Al said, "Wearing a mask is what he does for a living. Don't you think that sometimes it might be nice to let go?"

Ed thought about it. The last thing he had in mind when arguing with the colonel, was to make him feel better. But then again: Their deal was his service in the military against the means to find a stone. And Mustang went beyond that. He looked out for him and Al. It was no longer equivalent and one of the reasons why Ed hated him. That was a debt he could never pay back and not knowing what the colonel would want in return made him uneasy.

If he gave the colonel these arguments, it was a small step to make things a bit more equivalent. Suddenly reporting in didn't seem so bad anymore.

* * *

**Learning ****  
~age 14~**

"Fuck you!" Ed shouted and banged the door shut behind him. Why was it his fault, that rogue alchemist had blown up half of the village while trying to escape?

"You okay, brother?" Al asked from where he sat beside Fuery, sounding slightly worried. He had slipped out of Mustang's office, one minute into their shouting match. Fuery looked worried too and Hawkeye's gaze darted disapproving between him and the door. Havoc and Breda just tried not to grin and even Falman smiled.

Ed glared at them and stomped out yet again. Al called a hasty goodbye and then followed him silently until they reached the park two streets down. With an annoyed sigh Ed slumped under a tree. How was it that Mustang could always manipulate him like this? He hadn't meant to get that angry!

"Are you okay, brother?" Al asked once again, sitting down cross-legged in front of him. 

"Yeah," Ed replied, "No. I don't know. I hate him."

Al chuckled. Ed glared in response and kicked after the suit of armor. Of course Al dodged easily and raised his hands in a placative manner. "Calm down, brother, just tell me what's wrong."

Ed subsided with a sigh. "It's not that I mind arguing with him, it's just..." he shrugged, "I dunno, he says something, keeps pushing my buttons and I see red."

"So you are okay with shouting at him, as long as you do it because you want to and not because he makes you?" Al asked, sounding amused. If he'd had a face he would have smiled.

"Something like that, yeah," Ed replied.

Glowing red eyes held his gaze. "Brother, you can do everything you set your mind on." Al's voice was serious. "If you set your mind on learning to control your temper, then I'm sure you will master it in no time. You have reached more difficult things with no more base than sheer stubbornness."

If it wasn't Al who said it, Ed might have thought it was the blind conviction of a smaller brother, but Al had a tendency to be right when he used that tone.

***

The next time Edward entered the office he had steeled his resolve. Time to start learning.

With a grin he opened the battle. "Morning, Colonel Bastard."

Mustang's eyebrow twitched.

* * *

**Adapting ****  
~age 15~**

Inwardly smiling Ed made himself comfortable on the sofa while Mustang read his latest report. He actually looked forward to the argument that would inevitably follow. Not that he would tell the bastard, but it was fun to rile him up, to make him let go of his masks, if only for a few minutes.

"Your handwriting is terrible, where did you finish this? On the train?" Mustang said.

"Well someone insisted I come immediately. Where else would I write it?" Edward drawled and put his shoes on the sofa, mud included.

Mustang glared, then read on silently for a few minutes, before he put it away and settled his gaze once again on Ed, "Care to explain, why I got a complaint that you destroyed half the mine when you chased that group?"

Ed sighed and stood up to stand before the Colonel's desk. "Read for yourself, lazy bastard. It's all in there, they had entrenched themselves, I had to get them out somehow, didn't I?"

"You tell me there were no other entrances? No chutes or air supply tunnels? For someone your seize that shouldn't be too difficult." Mustang smirked.

Ed breathed in to tell him exactly how big that chute had been, and he was not that small!

And Mustang's masks slipped into place, leaving nothing more than a cold superior behind. He pushed another folder over the desk.

"This is your new assignment. Dismissed Fullmetal."

Ed wanted to rant, to push his buttons till he was Mustang again, but his instincts told him to back down. There were steps from the outer office. Ed glared once, just once for good measure, before he saluted, said "Sir!", grabbed his assignment and left, just as Major General Horten entered.

Without so much as a look at the rest of the team Ed stormed out, glaring at everyone who was unfortunate enough to cross his path.

"What has he done this time?" Al asked, when Ed slammed the door to their hotel room shut behind him.

"Nothing," Ed growled, smashing the folder with the assignment on the table.

"It doesn't look like nothing, brother," Al replied patiently. Really, sometimes Ed wondered why Al put up with his moods.

"He didn't get to do anything. Some General appeared and Mustang was all proper manners and kissing his ass and..."

"Let me get this straight. You are angry because you didn't argue with him?" Al interrupted.

Ed stopped and thought about it, and yeah, as usual Al was right. Damn it. He didn't get to like this arguments did he?

He must have made a funny face, because Al started laughing. 

Ed threw a pillow at him.

***

Ed wasn't sure what he expected when he entered the office with yet another report, this one carefully spiked with insults.

It surely wasn't this. Before he could slam the report on the desk, before he had even fully stepped in, Mustang grudgingly said: "Thank you, Fullmetal. I appreciate that you let it be, last time."

Ed stopped in his track staring, unable to grasp this. Thank you? Why? This wasn't how they worked. They threw insults, argued, shouted. Not this. 

"Whatever, bastard," Ed said and slammed his report on the table anyway. 

Mustang smirked, took it and gave Ed another folder, "This is your new mission. There are rumors about someone rising the dead in the east. Might be worth to take a look. Read it while I fight my way through your handwriting."

"Maybe you should get glasses, if you have difficulties reading it, old man," Ed replied and made himself comfortable on the sofa. Then he opened the report, skimming the important parts. Rising the dead hm? Could be worth looking into, but the place, Lior, seemed to be far from public transportation. That would be one hell of a journey.


	2. Chapter 2

**Reheating  
~age 16~**

It seemed like an eternity since Ed had been here. With the debacle around the homunculi and the stone everything had gone to hell. Ed wasn't sure when he had last had to report in.

Al sent him a smile that Ed couldn't help but answer. Just seeing his brother in flesh and blood again was worth it. What he had to do now was a bit more difficult. He had to go in there and tell Mustang that he intended to stay and make him fuhrer. 

The bastard would be so smug about this. If Ed was lucky and played it right he could probably turn it around as if Mustang had to talk him into staying?

He took a deep breath and then kicked the door open.

Immediately he was greeted by happy hellos. Ed smiled and stepped to the side, revealing his brother. There was a beat of silence, then the entire room erupted into chaos, as everyone got to their feet. Havoc tried to jump over his own desk, gaining a few seconds advantage to pull Al into a hug, before the rest arrived, talking over each others heads and all trying to hug them.

Ed let it go on for a few seconds, before disentangling himself from the small gathering. His gaze landed on Mustang who stood casually in the open doorway to his office, a smile on his face. 

"What's up, bastard?" Ed asked.

"I could ask you the same, Fullmetal," Mustang replied. 

Ed shrugged. "We have business to discuss."

Mustang's expression got serious and he wordlessly moved out of the door, motioning Ed inside. Ed followed him, smashing the door shut in his wake for traditions sake.

Mustang settled at his desk, trademark smirk in place and Ed pulled a chair in front of it.

"So what are you going to do now?" Mustang asked, fingers laced before him. Ed suppressed a smile. Mustang was stalling, looking for ground. Hoping to keep Ed a little longer. This was going exactly as planned. 

Ed shrugged as casually as he could. "Dunno yet, but I want to travel. And do something good. You know, something to help people. I liked when I was able to do that."

"You mean like that time you went through the city and repaired stuff in your horrible sense of style?" Mustang asked.

"That was a farce to bait Scar, idiot. And there is nothing wrong with my sense of style. Better than yours anyway!" Ed growled, "You know I meant something like Youswell."

"So in other words you want to keep doing what you did all along, but without the backup and money of the military?" Mustang asked and Ed had to suppress a smirk. Instead he went for annoyed.

"It isn't as if I ever needed the backup."

"And what about money?"

Ed shrugged casually. "Didn't think about it yet."

"Well you might need only a very little amount of money anyway."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE GET'S THE KIDS PRICES ANYWHERE?" Now Ed didn't have to fake annoyed. Hell, was Mustang able to piss him off!

"I didn't say anything like that," Mustang smirked, "And I have a better idea anyway."

"Oh, yeah, do speak o genius," Ed growled. He hated that smirk. It never failed to make his blood boil. He took a deep breath and willed his cheeks to stop heating. He had waited for this for fucks sake. 

"Keep working for me." 

Ed took another deep breath. Just because he wanted that too, didn't mean he was going to make it easy for the bastard. 

He didn't have a chance, Mustang was faster. "Let me finish. You just said you wanted to do what you did all along. Like this you get all the advantages of the military. Money, support, places to sleep."

"There are drawbacks to that," Ed interrupted.

"There are. The most pressing ones: The fact that they could use you in another war and that you could get court-martialed for your lack of respect and your tendency to disobey orders. At least against the first one, I could assure you. There are plans in motion to discern between civilian state alchemists and military state alchemists.

"As for the second problem: After Bradley the military desperately needs a better image. You are the hero of the people. They can't risk to lose you over something as inconsequential as disrespect."

Ed stared baffled. He would have stayed in the military with either problem in place, but as always Mustang was a step ahead of everything.

Mustang smirked and Ed glared in response, even as he felt his cheeks heating again. Bastard. The only fucking reason he didn't know what to say was because he was arguing against something he wanted to do anyway! But the air felt suddenly charged between them and for the first time in years Ed felt unbalanced in this office, no longer in control. 

"Okay, fine, I'll think about it", Ed growled, standing up. He wanted out of here and fast. There was nothing left to discuss anyway.

* * *

**Flaring  
~age 17~**

Ed stormed into the office and slammed his newest report on the desk, heart beating from the sprint and nothing else.

The second Mustang looked up Ed felt like someone had punched him in the chest, driving all the air from his lungs. Mustang's eyes were dark as ever and right now balanced somewhere between curiosity, concern, annoyance and amusement.

"You couldn't do me the courtesy to knock now and again, could you?" Mustang asked and arched an eyebrow. 

"It was urgent. Be happy I even wrote a report in the first place," Ed growled, pushing down hard on all the confusing warmth that was rising in him.

"Oh I'm very happy." Mustang gave a smug smile, which just made him more insufferable. More infuriating. 

That was when it dawned Ed what the hell was going on, and he could feel his cheeks flush. Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit, fucking damn it! He didn't have a crush on the bastard. He hadn't. 

But he only had to look at him, smirk widening at Ed's silence and he knew it wasn't true. Mustang was hot as hell and Ed totally couldn't deal with this, so he chose the only way he knew. He translated his embarrassment into anger. It was all the bastard's fault anyway, for arguing and smirking and looking out for him all the same. Ed certainly hadn't asked for it.

"Just read it and be done with it, bastard."

Mustang looked a bit surprised at the change of mood, but opened the report anyway. 

Ed stepped from one foot to the other. He wanted out of here. Right now. He needed to think or to... He didn't know but getting away from Roy fucking Mustang was important. More than that. Existential. 

His every thought was probably displayed on his face and Mustang would read them and... Oh no fucking no. He wouldn't give Mustang that satisfaction. Bad enough that he had a crush, Mustang knowing about it would be humiliating.

He didn't wait for questions. Didn't wait to be dismissed. He just turned and stormed out of the office, ignoring the "Fullmetal, wait!" that was shouted after him.

***

"What's the matter, brother?" Al greeted him the second he entered their flat.

"Nothing," Ed grumbled and toed his shoes off. He had walked through Central until night fell. Now he was tired, his foot hurt and he was as confused as he had been when he had fled the office. 

He had run away. He never ran away!

"Then explain to me why Hawkeye called four hours ago, telling me you disappeared from the office in the middle of a meeting."

"Didn't feel like talking to the bastard," Ed muttered, trying to get past Al into his room. Al promptly stepped in his way.

"Is this because of your crush on Mustang? Did he say something?" Al asked.

Ed froze. What?

"It's okay, brother. I've known for a while."

"But I didn't!" Ed shouted. 

Now it was Al's turn to freeze. "What do you mean you didn't?"

But Ed was done here. His cheeks were burning again. If Al had known, who else had realised it?

"Brother!" Al said and stepped right into his path again, "Brother, I'm sorry, but don't walk away now!"

"Al..." Ed said tiredly, "I realised today and frankly this is freaking me out!" There, the truth. Normally that was the best way to get Al of his case. 

Well, no such luck.

"It is not just a crush, is it, brother?" Al said calmly.

Ed felt his insides drop. 

"You wouldn't be so upset if it was just a crush," Al added.

"No," Ed bit out, "Just no." He felt panic rising. No way. Absolutely no way.

When he sidestepped Al again, his brother let him go.

* * *

**Exploding  
~age 18~**

And here he was again in Mustang's office. After all these years it felt like this place had some kind of gravity. It didn't matter where he went, he came always circling back.

He didn't want this. And fuck, he didn't want Mustang. Excerpt that it had been over two years by now and his body had yet to give any sign of giving up his stupid reactions. His heart didn't help either. Why was Al always right? Of course it couldn't have been just a crush. Of course he had to fall head over heels. 

Mustang was reading yet another report and Ed lounged lazily on the couch. 

At least he had learned to contain his reactions in much the same way he had learned to contain his temper. Mustang would never know. It was easier that way. Less heartbreak. 

"Care to explain to me, why you thought it a good idea to go after them into the sewers?" Mustang asked, voice pinched, "Especially when you already knew they had manipulated the ceiling so they could crash it on the head of anyone following?"

Ed leaned back into the cushions. "Yeah, that is exactly the point. I knew it. That's why I would be able to stop them."

Mustang put the report down and looked at Ed, one of his calm masks in place. Ed gulped. He knew that mask. It meant he was in trouble. But what had he done wrong this time?

"Then you can certainly explain why the ceiling came down anyway, burying you under piles of rocks." 

"They were a bit faster than I anticipated. But I made it out without a scratch so..." Ed came to his feet.

"You call getting buried alive without a scratch?" Mustang asked. The indifference slowly slipped from his face, making room for anger.

"How else would I call it? I stabilised the point directly over my head and after the rest had come down I could tunnel out." What was Mustang's problem? That the road over the sewers got damaged? 

Ed took a deep breath to reign in his temper. He wouldn't let this escalate before he knew where it was heading, but somehow this felt more serious than their normal arguments.

"Fullmetal, if I can't trust you to assess a situation I can't send you out there," Mustang said.

Ed saw red. So that was what Mustang thought. He didn't think Ed could handle it. Well fuck him. People doubted him since he was twelve, but he had thought Mustang knew better. Bastard. At least now Ed had no longer a reason to hold back. 

"I had it under control, bastard!" he shouted.

"You had tons of rocks coming down on your head!" Mustang shot back.

"Tons of rocks that couldn't harm me because I saw them coming!"

"You could have died!" Mustang shouted, getting to his feet.

The air seemed to charge between them as they glared at each other.

"I was in no danger! Why do you care anyway? Repairing that road is a matter of two days at most."

"Forget the road!" Mustang snapped, stepping around his desk and right before Ed, "What would I have told Al when you had died there?"

Ed glared back. "Which part of I had it under control didn't you get?" Their fights had never gotten this physical. There had always been the desk between them. Now it would take only half a step to get him into Mustang's personal space.

Mustang's eyes were burning into him. 

"Walking into a trap with open eyes is not the same as being in control! One second. It would have taken one second of hesitating and you would have been squashed"

"Six seconds, but that's not the point. I am here, am I not?" Ed hadn't realised he was moving, but now he had closed the last of the distance, seething with anger. He wanted to shake him. He wanted to fuck him. He wanted to punch him and kiss him. He knew he should get out right now, before he did something stupid.

"I can't rely on luck to get you back here in one piece!" Mustang shouted.

They were inches apart now and Ed's brain just shut down. All he had to do was rise on his tiptoes and his lips would meet Mustang's. His thoughts were reeling, but Mustang wasn't finished.

"I can't have you stupidly risking your life, Ed." 

It was his name, that finally cleared the fog. This wasn't about Fullmetal screwing up. It was about Ed being in danger.

"I can't lose you," Mustang's eyes were burning down on him, all dark fire.

Suddenly the decision was easy. He grabbed Mustang's collar, pulled him down and kissed him. 

For a heartbeat Mustang was tense and still and Ed felt fear racing a shiver down his spine. Then Mustang's hand found its way into Ed's hair, with a desperate noise he pulled Ed closer. 

Mustang tasted faintly of coffee and something sweet, and his smell went straight to Ed's head as he wound his own arm around Roy's neck.

Their lips pressed together too hard, but Ed couldn't care less. All he could think of were Mustang's teeth and tongue and lips on his. He wouldn't have been able to stop if his life depended on it.

Just as suddenly Mustang pulled back. Not far, not with Ed's hand still around his neck and Mustang's hand tangled in his hair. Ed's breath came in rapid pants. The fear was back as he looked in Mustang's eyes, unable to break the gaze. Mustang's lips were swollen from the kiss, his cheeks a faint pink and his breath coming just as rapidly as Ed's.

Mustang kept on looking, but he didn't move away and ever so slowly Ed felt his nerves calm down. He couldn't read people like Al could, but even he knew that if Mustang didn't want this he would have withdrawn by now.

Slowly his mind got back on track. He had kissed Mustang. In his office. Where everyone could walk in. They were still standing in a pretty compromising position. 

And most importantly he had no idea of where to go from here. 

"Mustang?" he asked.

Mustang closed his eyes and leaned back in, let his forehead touch Ed's and rest there. Somehow this was so much more intimate than the kiss. The kiss had been urgent and messy. This was tranquil and Ed never wanted it to end. Reality could go fuck itself. 

"I can't lose you," Mustang repeated. 

"Then don't," Ed replied, "We'll figure the rest out."

As answer Mustang's arms tightened around him.

**Author's Note:**

> All mistakes are my own.


End file.
